Shirley Myers retires after 23 years with Elastec/American Marine

Shirley Myers joined Elastec...well...before there even WAS an Elastec!

Barry Cleveland

Shirley Myers joined Elastec...well...before there even WAS an Elastec!

The longtime Elastec/American Marine bookkeeper retired Nov. 9 after a long career with the company-a career that began in November 1989 at Crossville.

She went to work that fall for Donnie Wilson, who operated Donnie's Welding, and Jeff Cantrell, who (with Wilson) ran Superior Servicing, on the former Crossville Machine & Tool property. The combined operations had only five or six employees at the time, she reminisced a few days before her retirement took effect.

Myers had kept books for the high school and garment factory in Enfield before joining the twin Crossville oilfield businesses.

"I had no idea what it would grow into," she said of what has become, in two short decades, a company with an international presence. "It's pretty amazing what they've accomplished."

Wilson and Cantrell incorporated as Elastec, Inc. not many months after Myers joined the business, and they moved from Crossville into quarters on Council Street (in East Carmi) not long after that.

Myers took care of payroll, as well as accounts payable and receivable, and she did it in the early days without the benefit of a computer.

That was one of many things that were to change.

The computer era dawned, and Elastec adapted. "I said 'I'll never learn this,' but I did!" Myers said.

She was there during the company's growth spurt in the '90s and early 21st century, including the period when it moved into its second Carmi location (the former Wal-Mart building at 1309 W. Main St.) in 2006 and then when it expanded into other locations in Carmi and Fairfield. (The owners acquired American Marine in the '90s and merged it into Elastec/American Marine much later.)

Myers has seen Elastec grow from a tiny operation to one with nearly 120 employees-and customers in more than 145 countries around the world.

"I hoped that they'd do well" when the company expanded, she said, "but I had no idea they'd do THIS well." She called the growth "a miraculous thing."

Myers said she has enjoyed the entire experience. In the early days, she got to know Elastec dealers and associates from across the U.S. on a first-name basis, and that was enjoyable. And later, when the company began marketing products internationally, she was privileged to meet dealers and customers from across the globe. That was fun, as well, she said.

But the time has come to slow down a bit. Myers said she had a "bad spell" about a year ago and has not fully recovered from that. But she decided to call it a career and step down now, at the age of 76, although she has no plans to retire from a role she's held even longer-treasurer of the Village of Enfield.

Myers enjoys working with flowers in the summer, and she plans to "stay home and do no more than I have to," she laughed.

"I need to relax a little," she added.

E/AM executives and employees honored Myers at a Nov. 9 luncheon at Tequila's in Carmi.

Wilson recalled interviewing Myers for the bookkeeper's job. As the interview concluded, and he indicated he would consider her, she replied, "You need a secretary and I need a job. Let's get this done!" he recalled.

"We listened to Shirley, and it's a good thing!" he added.

Sometime later, she was involved in a traffic accident that required a period of recuperation. "We waited her out," Wilson said, "and thank goodness." He called Myers "rock solid, absolutely dependable and a huge part of establishing our company."

Jeff Bohleber, the company's chief financial officer, concurred, asserting that he's never worked with a person more faithful than Myers. Or more stylish, fashionable or well-dressed, he added. Describing her as steadfast and faithful, he called it "an honor and joy" to have worked with her and presented her, on behalf of her fellow employees, with gold earrings and a necklace.

Myers said she appreciated the chance to work at E/AM and to see the company grow-and she was particularly grateful that the company "held my job for me" while she was recuperating.

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